Howdy!  My name is Tanner and I serve as the guy’s minister in the Youth Ministry here at First Baptist Church of Arlington.  I enjoy a good concert, lunch with friends (especially barbeque), and I am constantly on the hunt for the world’s best cup of coffee.  I have two parents and a little brother who all live and work here in North Texas.  I also have a girlfriend, Maritza, who lives in Waco with her dog, Arlo.  I was born right here in Arlington way back in the 1900’s, my family moved to Argyle soon after and that is where I spent my formative years.

I was lucky to be born into a family that recognizes that Jesus is King, so I was encouraged from a very early age to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Growing up I attended Argyle United Methodist Church; this is where I made my faith my own and where I ultimately felt a call to ministry.  My call to ministry came through relationships and conversations with youth ministers, Young Life leaders, and camp counselors who all poured into me.  After spending so much time in church, I could feel God tugging my heart toward a career in ministry.  This led me to attend the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor for my undergraduate degree.

At UMHB I studied Christian Studies, made lifelong friends, and continued to tune my heart towards ministry.  During those years I had the opportunity to attend and serve in different roles at Vista Community Church in Temple, Texas.  I also spent my summers serving as a counselor at Sky Ranch and an intern at Cibolo Creek Community Church.  After I graduated from UMHB I attended seminary at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary (Sic ‘em).  While in Waco, I was a barista and store manager for Common Grounds.  In 2021 I graduated from Truett with a Master of Divinity and started searching for jobs.  Thankfully, my resumé made it to Kurt Krodle’s desk and I landed my first full time ministry job right here at First Baptist of Arlington!  Kind of full circle if you ask me.

When it comes to ministry, my philosophy has evolved as I have grown older and, hopefully, wiser.  My chief hope for my ministry is defined by the phrase “grace is endless.”  Jesus, through his death and resurrection, has offered us a call to something higher through this grace.  This grace needs to be displayed in turn by every Christian as we interact with the world around us.  This grace doesn’t call us to do whatever we want, rather, endless grace calls us to a life of righteousness that glorifies God amidst every part of every day.

Before I started seminary, I would have left it there.  However, the urgency of this endless grace was brought to my attention during my time at Truett.  The phrase “the night cometh” is written on the clock tower at Truett, it is a quote from John 9:4.  Originally, I thought that was kind of a dark thing to put on the side of a seminary, then I realized that the quote was about urgency and not a dark statement about the future.  You see, Christians have THE good news, and it is our job to share it.  The good news of Jesus has immediate and cosmic repercussions.  It will save someone’s eternal soul AND it will give them hope for something better in this life.  People are living their lives all over the world not knowing that the God of the universe died so that they may live.  It is our job to share that good news with them, and we don’t have forever to do it.  So, grace is endless and the night cometh.

I am so thankful and excited to be a part of the community here at First Baptist of Arlington, thanks for reading!  I look forward to seeing you around our campus and at our events throughout the community.

In Him,

Tanner

P.S. If you ever want to join me on the hunt for the world’s best cup of coffee, I will buy.